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tax-exempt

American  
[taks-ig-zempt] / ˈtæks ɪgˌzɛmpt /

adjective

  1. not subject or liable to taxation.

    tax-exempt imports.

  2. providing income that is not taxable.

    tax-exempt municipal bonds.


noun

  1. a tax-exempt security.

tax-exempt British  

adjective

  1. (of an income or property) exempt from taxation

  2. (of an asset) earning income that is not subject to taxation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tax-exempt

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Under federal tax-exempt organization law, he said, the “private benefit doctrine” governs whether a nonprofit’s overall activities unduly benefit any single individual — including through indirect payments to entities they own.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026

You can access these documents through the Candid GuideStar Search or verify tax-exempt status through the IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

Already, Japan has offered nudges like expanding tax-exempt investment accounts to woo some of the $7 trillion, or half of Japanese households’ wealth, that has been parked in cash into equities.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Yale has a $44 billion endowment and is tax-exempt.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

Securities -- N. securities, stocks, common stock, preferred stock, bonds, puts, calls, options, option contract, warrants, commercial paper, bearer bond, tax-exempt bond, callable bond, convertable bond†. share, stock certificate; coupon, bond coupon. liquid assets.

From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark

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